I took on an eleven year old student for guitar lessons some time ago. Here is how it went...

Lesson 1;
Taught him how to hold the guitar, where left hand should be, right hand etc.
Taught him how to tune it, using the piano and using fifth fret etc.
Taught him the note names of the open strings.
Taught him a few basic chords.. Emaj, Amaj, Dmaj etc, from a chord book which he had brought with him.

Lesson 2;
Well, he could hold the guitar (just), but could not remember any of the chords and had to refer to the book. We went through the chords again, and I started to show him some major scales.

Lesson 3;
Still can't remember any chords. Went through them again. Stressed the importance of practicing etc.

Lesson 4;
No change. Went over old ground again.

Lesson 5;
Absolutely no progress whatsoever!

At what point do you inform the parents that they are wasting their money?

Pupils need very clear directions as to how often to play and to practise, and of exactly what to do. Perhaps he would like some tunes to play and sing to one or two of the chords that he has tried? Also have you talked over with him the sort of things that he enjoys singing and listening to, and just what he would like to be able to play? Some kids learn at a slow pace at the start, but please don't make the little lad feel a failure because he has not got going yet.

It does sound as though it's possible that you have given him more than he can take in at one go.
I wouldn't usually go at that sort of pace with my piano beginners.

How many chords are you expecting him to learn each week? Maybe start with one or two max at a time. And remember that if this is his first instrument, things like major, minor, and even A, E... are just random names floating in the air as far as he is concerned... he may have no theory structure on which to "hang" them.

Maybe spend 10 minutes of your next lesson showing him exactly what and HOW you expect him to practise. Most 11 year olds don't instinctively understand what practice is or how to do it.

I don't have much experience of guitar, but it sounds like quite a lot in a short space of time.

I used to teach a bit of guitar and for a first lesson I would teach how to tune followed by two chords at the most - probably E and A major. Or A and D major. Any more than that would be far too confusing for an 11-year-old. It's best to tell them exactly how and how much to practise - say 5 times a week for 10 minutes each time, keeping a practice diary which he has to show you each lesson.

That way you can't go wrong really - oh and a word to the parents about making sure practice is systematic and regular with a gentle nudge when necessary but not heavy pressure!

Violinia

Just to add to what I said, having noticed the subtitle... NEVER tell a student they're a lost cause!

I presume that was tongue in cheek, though......

Long post, bear with me:

I taught myself the guitar (when I was 7) because I wanted to accompany myself singing and my parents couldn't find a qualified guitar teacher ( I already had grade 2 piano and had been in a choir and a Saturday morning music school since the age of 4 so I had a basis of musicality). I learned by picking a tune I wanted to play and laboriously making the chord shapes with my left hand until I could do them, and change them at the right speed, and strum in rhythm without thinking, because I had to be thinking about the words. When I wanted to learn another piece with new chords I learned the new chords. The Streets of London was the first song I ever learned with more than 3 chords. Later on 7ths were a revelation, as were subsituted chords, inversions, diminished and augmented chords, 9ths etc, each in turn as and when I came across them. Along the way I started to spice it up with a "pluck - strum, pluck- strum right hand, eventually moving on to playing full finger style. These days I can also play a small (and easy) classical repertoire, but rarely do because that's not what I originally (or ever) wanted to do with a guitar. Similarly I cannot (indeed have never tried) to play "lead" guitar. However, I did want to learn.

I think that what I'm getting at here is that your pupil doesn't seem to want to do what you're teaching him. Have you tried asking him what he wants to do and then trying to teach him how to do that, however simple? (Or complicated - apparently Lang Lang only started piano lessons because he heard Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody in a Tom & Jerry cartoon and wanted to play it, which he did at the Classical Brits in the Albert Hall last week!) Or is he really only there because someone else thought it would be a good idea?

Does he want to play Deaf Leopard and you're teaching him Debussy (or something along those lines?

My thoughts.....................find out what the pupil wants to play on the guitar, my daughter started guitar about 18 months ago- she told her teacher she liked Green Day, within a couple of weeks he had her playing a basic version of it, she has never looked back, shes onto the pistols now and rockin away! Kids often want a near instant result, though we all know this is not possible without practice, but maybe finding out what they like will inspire practice?- just my thought, good luck!

I have to agree with the others, a little at the beginning can be most beneficial. Have you tried to inspire him by playing some of the pieces/groups he likes? Have you tried to discover what he wants to do? What's at the top of his agenda - not his parents nor yours? Perhaps he wants one to one time with an adult on a regular basis to chat about life as well as learn a little about music?

Given time he could blossom - I've had a few like that. The light suddenly goes on. The pupil you thought was below average becomes keen and makes great strides in a relatively short time.

How can anyone ever be a lost cause?




DL did originally call themselves Deaf Leopard, before changing to Def Leppard!